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Eight lenders and two investment companies were honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration inWashington, D.C. for their commitment to delivering vital financial assistance to American small businesses, as part of National Small Business Week.

The awards were presented to institutions from Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Texas, at a breakfast session. While portfolio performance played a significant role in the recognition, the lenders’ continued support of small business during challenging economic times was the major consideration.

The awards to lenders were presented by SBA Administrator Karen Mills. As in previous years, the 7(a) Loan Lender of the Year was split into two sub-categories: Large lender and Small lender.

The Large 7(a) Loan Lender of the Year Award went to United Central Bank, of Garland, Texas. The Small 7(a) Lender of the Year Award winner was First Financial Bank, of Hamilton, Ohio.

Also honored were two Certified Development Companies, or 504 Lenders, and two Small Business Investment Companies, or SBICs: the CDCs receiving awards were Nebraska Economic Development Corp., of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Dakota Business Finance CDC, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The SBICs recognized were Argosy Capital, of Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Contemporary Health Capital, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

In the 1st Mortgage Lender of the Year category, the Large 1st Mortgage Lender of the Year Award went to BBVA Compass, of Dallas, Texas; Rockland Trust, of Rockland, Massachusetts, received the Small 1st Mortgage Lender of the Year Award.

In keeping with the heightened importance exports are receiving in the nation’s economic recovery, SBA this year again recognized two banks for their role in lending to small business exporters. SunTrust Bank, of Atlanta, Georgia, received the Export Lender of the Year Award for making the most Export Working Capital loans, while Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., of Minneapolis, Minnesota won the award for making the largest number of domestic loans to exporters.

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